Book Image

3D Printing Blueprints

By : Joe Larson
Book Image

3D Printing Blueprints

By: Joe Larson

Overview of this book

A new industrial age is here. Machines designed to build useful and interesting objects have moved from the factory to the home. Whether you have a 3D printer or not, learning how to design your first 3D models is the best way to become part of the 3D printing movement. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you, step by step, the tools and techniques of using Blender, a free 3D modelling program, to build 3D models for printing with simple and fun hands-on projects.3D Printing Blueprints uses engaging and fun projects that teach Blender modeling for 3D printing through hands-on lessons. First you'll learn basic modeling and make a small simple object. Then each new project brings with it new tools and techniques as well as teaching the rules of 3D printing design. Eventually you'll be building objects designed to repair or replace everyday objects. Finally you'll be able to even tackle other people's models and fix them to be 3D printable. Through the course of doing the blueprints you will custom build one-of-a-kind objects that you can call your own. Starting from a custom vase formed from a picture, lessons will progress to a multi-part modular robot toy. Then simple machines will be designed with custom gears and functions. Eventually you'll learn how to download models from the Internet and make custom objects. Finally you'll be able to build models with near real life specifications and make a print that can be used for small object repair. 3D Printing Blueprints will teach you everything you need to know about building custom 3D models to print successfully on modern home 3D printers.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
3D Printing Blueprints
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Extra credit


Leaving modifiers unapplied becomes undesirable when the object's geometry gets too complex. Simply performing Boolean operations on cubes together may not cause a crash, but adding Boolean operations to multiresolutioned objects and moving them around or changing the order of their modifiers has been known to slow down or even crash even the heartiest of systems.

Try to see how quickly Blender will slow down by making several cubes, adding multiresolution modifiers to increase their polygon count and Boolean them together all without pressing the Apply button. Add more and more multiresolution cubes and move them around to see when performance becomes choppy. It may be surprising how little time it takes.

With the measurements of an SD card available, any object can be turned into an SD card holder. Why not make an SD holder key chain or an SD holder that clips to a breast pocket? Add an SD holder to a mini mug or vase to turn decorative items into something functional. Measure...